Dependency and the Dependency panel

This is the core mechanism in Mechatronics Concept Designer for cross-linking systems engineering objects (requirements, functions, logicals) with each other and with downstream physical/concept-model objects (mechanical parts, electrical parts, physics/behavioral objects, software operations).

Dependency (command)

Use the Dependency command to add objects that are related to a selected requirement, function, or logical. You select a parent object and a dependent object in the System Navigator, Physics Navigator, Sequence Editor, or the graphics window.

All dependencies for a selected systems engineering object are shown in the Dependency panel. You can double-click any physics object shown there to view and edit its parameters.

Where to find it: Mechatronics Concept Designer → Dependency command.

Dependency panel

The Dependency panel displays folders showing dependencies for a selected requirement, function, or logical. Right-click each folder to choose dependent objects for the selected systems engineering object.

The folders present in the panel vary depending on:

• the type of systems engineering object selected (requirement / function / logical), and
• whether you are using native Designcenter NX or Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX.

Dependency panel folders

Folder	Availability	Displays
Requirement Folder	Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX only; shown when a function or logical is selected	Requirements linked to the object
Function Folder	Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX only; shown when a requirement or logical is selected	Functions linked to the object
Logical Folder	Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX only; shown when a requirement or function is selected	Logicals linked to the object
Mechanical Folder	Shown when a logical is selected	Mechanical components linked to the logical
Electrical Folder	Shown when a logical is selected	Electrical parts linked to the logical
Software Folder	Shown when a function or logical is selected	Operations linked to the object
Behavioral Folder	Shown when a logical is selected	Physics objects linked to the logical

Key takeaways for the requirement↔function↔logical↔physical linking chain

• Cross-linking between systems engineering model types (Requirement ↔ Function ↔ Logical) is only available in Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX — native/local Designcenter NX does not support these cross-model dependency folders. This is a significant constraint: the full requirements-traceability chain (requirement → function → logical) requires the Teamcenter-connected mode.
• Linking a logical to physical/concept-model objects (Mechanical, Electrical, Behavioral/physics, Software) is available regardless of Teamcenter connection, and is exposed only when a logical is selected — this is the mechanism referenced elsewhere as "mapping logical blocks to physical/concept model objects."
• The Behavioral folder is specifically how a logical block's physics representation is tied back to the systems engineering model — double-clicking a physics object there opens it for parameter editing without leaving the Dependency panel context.

Where to find it: Mechatronics Concept Designer → Dependency command.

Related documentation

Related Concepts

• Dependency
• Dependency panel

Related Tasks

• Create a tracelink between a logical and a mechanical part
• Create a tracelink between a logical and a physics object